2. Transcribe the DNA for Each Gene Into Mrna. Record Those Sequences

Alien Encounters!

Background: In the year 2050, an incredible archeological discovery was made in the middle of a remote area of South America. It was an area where a large meteor had struck the Earth. A pile of alien bones were found completely mixed up together. The explorers who made the discovery immediately informed the organization known as Scientific Phenomena Over Our Fabulous Sphere (S. P. O. O. F. S). S. P. O. O. F. S. sent out their best scientists to collect DNA samples. (Yes, these aliens really did have DNA!) The scientists were able to recover small fragments of DNA which they brought back to their labs. After much work, they determined that the DNA fragments represented 9 genes.

Purpose: In this activity, you will determine the traits of these unfortunate recovered aliens by analyzing their DNA and determining the amino acid sequences of the resulting small protein fragments. Each fragment is associated with a particular gene and a specific alien characteristic (trait).

Procedure: 1. Put the DNA sequence for each gene in the proper location on your data sheet. 2. Transcribe the DNA for each gene into mRNA. Record those sequences. 3. Translate the mRNA into amino acids using the provided mRNA Codon Chart. Record the amino acid sequence for each gene. 4. Use the “Alien Genes” chart to determine the traits that are associated with each of your amino acids sequences and write those traits on the charts. 5. Using a blank piece of paper, sketch and color your alien, making sure to include all relevant (known) traits. (You can add other unknown traits, if you wish.) Be sure to include your alien’s genus and species at the top of your drawing and data sheet. Place your name on your drawing. (NOTE: The genus name must be capitalized and the species name always starts with a lower case letter.) 6. Answer the following questions on the back of your alien picture:

Questions: A. Did you find any “identical” aliens in your group? B. Give the tRNA sequences for Gene D. C. How does a single change in a nitrogen base alter the formation of a resulting protein? D. If you knew a particular amino acid sequence, could you figure out the DNA for that sequence? Why or why not? E. What is the difference between transcription and translation? F. What are the roles of the DNA, the mRNA, the rRNA, and tRNA in protein synthesis? mRNA CODON CHART DATA Tables for Alien Gene Analysis: NAME______

Alien Number ______Alien Genus and species______

Is your alien hairless or hairy? Is your alien fat or skinny? GENE A GENE B DNA DNA mRNA mRNA Amino Acids Amino Acids Trait Trait

Does your alien have 4 legs or 8 legs? What size nose does your alien have? GENE C GENE D DNA DNA mRNA mRNA Amino Acids Amino Acids Trait Trait

Does your alien have antennae or not? What color skin does your alien have? GENE E GENE F DNA DNA mRNA mRNA Amino Acids Amino Acids Trait Trait

How many fingers does your alien have? Does your alien have a tail? GENE G GENE H DNA DNA mRNA mRNA Amino Acids Amino Acids Trait Trait

Does your alien have 4 eyes or 8 eyes? GENE I DNA mRNA Amino Acids Trait ALIEN GENES

This table shows the amino acid sequences for the various alien genes and traits.

Gene Amino Acid Sequence Resulting Letter Characteristic A Val-pro-ileu Hairless Tryp-pro-ileu Hairy B Tryp-val-val fat Ileu-ileu-ser skinny C Ser-ala 4 legs Ser-ser 8 legs D Pro-ser-phe-gly Long nose Gln-ser-phe-gly Short nose E Lys-phe No antennae Lys-leu 4 antennae F Pro-ala-ala Blue skin Pro-ala-asp Red skin Pro-ala-val Yellow skin Pro-ala-pro Green skin G Gln-gln-asp 10 fingers Gln-gln-lys 12 fingers H Gly-gly-ileu tail ala-gly-ileu No tail I Ileu-asp-ala 4 eyes Ser-asp-ala 8 eyes To the teacher: This table shows the traits of each of the 30 alien species.

Trait 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Hairless x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Hairy x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Fat x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Skinny x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 4 legs x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 8 legs x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Lg nose x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x St nose x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x No ant x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Ant x x x x x x x x x x x x x Blue x x x x x x x Green x x x x x x x x Red x x x x x x x x Yellow x x x x x x x 10 fing x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 12 fing x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Tail x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x No tail x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 4 eyes x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 8 eyes x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #1

GENE A: C A A G G A T A T

GENE B: A C C C A A C A A

GENE C: A G C A G G

GENE D: G T C A G G A A A C C C

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE F: G G A C G C C G A

GENE G: G T C G T C C T A

GENE H: C G C C C C T A T

GENE I: T A T C T A C G C Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #2

GENE A: A C C G G T T A T

GENE C: A G C A G G

GENE D: G G T A G G A A A C C C

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE F: G G A C G C G G G

GENE G: G T C G T C T T T

GENE I: A G C C T A C G C Recovered Sequences = Alien Species #3

GENE B: T A T T A T A G C

GENE C: A G C A G G

GENE E: T T T A A C

GENE F: G G A C G C C T A

GENE H: C C C C C C T A T

GENE C: A G C C G A

GENE E: T T T A A C

GENE F: G G A C G C C A A

GENE C: A G C C G A

GENE E: T T T A A C

GENE C: A G C C G A

GENE E: T T T A A C

GENE C: A G C A G G

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE C: A G C A G G

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE C: A G C A G G

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE C: A G C C G A

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE C: A G C C G A

GENE E: T T T A A C

GENE C: A G C C G A

GENE E: T T T A A C

GENE C: A G C A G G

GENE E: T T T A A C

GENE C: A G C A G G

GENE E: T T T A A C

GENE C: A G C A G G

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE C: A G C C G A

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE C: A G C C G A

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE C: A G C C G A

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE C: A G C A G G

GENE E: T T T A A C

GENE C: A G C A G G

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE C: A G C A G G

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE C: A G C C G A

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE C: A G C C G A

GENE E: T T T A A C

GENE C: A G C C G A

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE C: A G C A G G

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE C: A G C A G G

GENE E: T T T A A C

GENE C: A G C A G G

GENE E: T T T A A C

GENE C: A G C C G A

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE C: A G C C G A

GENE E: T T T A A A

GENE C: A G C C G A

GENE E: T T T A A C

GENE I: A G C C T A C G C